Yes the book of Proverbs speaks about cruelty to animals -- Proverbs 12:10 says "A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel". I personally have a strong conviction that God is the giver and taker of life and that applies to animals too. God made them and they should be loved.

Donna, I stand corrected since I have not read every case study of every serial killer. What I have read it is the prevailing factor. If a child is already torturing animals he it usually too far gone for counseling and deliverance is the only option.

I didn't know that ALL seriel killers started out that way, many did though. Taking pleasure in causing pain to animals certainly is a dangerous sign in anybody. A child who enjoys making animals suffer needs immediate conseling, maybe deliverance. Most normal kids love animals.

#2 In defense of legitimate hunting, the hunters I know take pride in being able to kill so that he animal dies almost instantly. Anyone who cannot is considered unskilled. In the Rocky Mtns, where I was raised, deer and elk both, in overgrown herds suffer a "wasting disease" that is so far incurable. It is a slow death for them, or in their weakened state they are prey for mountain lions (who are seldom in danger of starving). Believe me, being killed by a lion is NOT is not a humane death!

#1 Helen--Prov. 12:10 says "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.." The 2nd half, isn't clear to me.. It's talking about domestic working animals. I shudder at the cruelty to foxes that Alan of UK mentions. (There are "fox hunts" in the US but the hounds follow a bag of scent dragged along the ground) Some people here raise "exotic" animals for people to shoot and display on their walls. Disgusting!

2. Whether pests or food, animals should always be killed as humanely as possible. I believe that anyone who kills any kind of life for the pleasure of seeing it drop dead is totally sick. Game birds are bred simply for the rich to shoot. People eagerly await the gaming season when they can do this and they dont even want the birds for food, it is just pleasure. Some animals have to be culled I know but this should not be done in a cruel way and not for the pleasure of killing.

Thanks for the verse Helen. This question was prompted by the mention of fox-hunting in another blog. In U.K. foxes have, until very recently, been hunted by hounds. They were chased, dragged out of holes, ripped to shreds and their tails held high as a trophy. The hunters, who always dressed up in special gear for the occasion, declared it was necessary and the only way of controlling these pests. It was cruelty and a sick sport masquerading as a necessity.

Interesting question! Of course, I hope you understand that hunting wild game isn't the same as "cruelty to animals". In areas of the west, hunting is a sport, but for some, a source of food. It may also serve to "thin the herd" in cases where animals are so numerous they may have trouble surviving the winter. A hunter SHOULD, and most do, try to kill an animal so that they die quickly with minimal pain. That said, I'll be most interested in any applicable scriptures.